In general, power strips and surge protectors, which enable a number of electrical appliances to be connected to a single power source, are well known. The most common power strip includes an elongate strip with a plurality of outlets aligned in a single row along a top surface of the strip. Each outlet is configured to receive an electrical plug of an appliance. When coupled to the power strip, the plug extends upward, transverse to the top surface. The power strip or surge protector may further include a power switch and a circuit breaker also located on a surface of the strip.
Power strips of this type have several disadvantages. First, since the outlets are located along the top surface of the strip and lack any sort of cord management feature, the cords of attached electrical plugs project upward from the strip and are prone to creating loops on which people may trip or objects may be snagged. If the power strip is stepped on, connections between the electrical plugs and their respective outlets may become fully or partially dislodged. When a plug is fully dislodged from the outlet, the connection is broken, cutting off power to the appliance. A partially dislodged plug exposes the metal prongs of the plug which may come into contact with living things and cause electrical shock. In addition, partially dislodged plugs are prone to bending, disfigurement or breakage. Second, metal shavings, filings and dirt may affect the integrity of the uncovered outlets. Falling metal shavings and filings, in particular, may short the circuit and cause an electrical fire.
Another type of power strip has a trapezoidal cross-section. This power strip includes two rows of outlets, each row located on an inclined surface of the trapezoid, with the outlets facing upward. The orientation of these outlets also encourages the cords of attached plugs to project upward and to form dangerous loops. A plug with its cord extending upward and forming a loop is susceptible to being detached from the connector. In addition, the outlets of this power strip are uncovered, leaving them exposed to falling metal shavings, filings and dirt, such as sawdust.
In light of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an attractive electrical connector in which the electrical receptacles or outlets, and also the connections between plugs and the receptacles, are protected from the environment and from being stepped on or dislodged. In addition, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector that is stable even when several plugs are coupled to the connector and run in different directions. Another desirable feature of the electrical connector is a system for organizing the cords of electrical plugs attached to the connector.